Page 31 of Cruel Cravings

The weight of it presses against me, suffocating and all-consuming.

Good.

It’s what I want.

I hear him before I see him. The not-so-distant snap of a twig. My pulse quickens. Then comes the ragged, uneven draw of his breath that clashes with the howl of the wind. I swallow down the fear and panic and force myself to remain calm.

It’s time.

Flicking on the flashlight on my phone, I spin around and shine the light at the path behind me.

There he is like I’ve always imagined him, shrouded in thick shadows, his mass as big as the trees he stands between.

“Stay away from me!” I warn, then I power off the flashlight and break into a sprint.

He scrambles after me, his steps heavy and ominous.

We’re off.

The forest blurs into indistinct shapes around me. I can barely see where I’m going, but I trust my instincts and don’t stop.

Branches snag at my sleeves and whip against my face. Behind me, his footsteps pound the ground, faster now.

Closer.

He’s bridging the gap between us, the heat of his pursuit like fire on the back of my neck.

I don’t dare glance over my shoulder.

I’m panting as I push myself harder, running for my life. He follows me through the thick trees as I take him down a trail that leads where I planned for it to.

The trees only grow in size, wider and taller the deeper into the woods we make it. Their gnarled roots claw up from the ground like traps of their own. I do my best to avoid them, swerving when necessary.

He’s so close now that I can almost feel his monstrous hand reaching for me.

But he never gets the chance.

The sharp snap of the rope echoes through the woods, followed by a hoarse grunt. I skid to a stop, heart hammering as I turn and double back.

There he is, thrashing in the air, suspended several feet above the ground. The net I set earlier when I first arrived holds tight, its thick rope tangled around his limbs. He thrashes and snarls like an animal caught in a snare, his shadowed form swaying as he tries to muscle himself free.

I’m quicker than he is, rushing over with the syringe in hand. I jam the needle straight into his neck and then jump back as he roars into the otherwise eerily silent air.

Whereas an average-sized person would be out immediately, he only fights harder. He tears at the rope using brute strength that would be terrifying if I didn’t have the insurance of the bear tranquilizer I’d nicked at the sporting goods store. It gradually takes hold, his thrashes slowing down and then stopping entirely.

His head rolls to the side and his breathing shallows.

I remain where I am, letting the moment sink in.

He’s mine now.

After years of enduring his torment, the hunter has become the hunted. A triumphant laugh bubbles up my throat admiring his unconscious form dangling from the net.

“How does it feel?” I whisper. My voice trembles with giddy adrenaline. “How does it feel to be the prey for once?”

Only the wind answers me with another shrill whistle. I don’t even care as I wipe sweat from my brow and start on my next task.

Dragging him to the cabin.

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